Here is where I'll make a feeble attempt to define the terms some of you may be unfamiliar with. I've forgotten most of the definitions, so if any of you see any glaring mistakes, please let me know.

A4

The smallest jet attack (bomber) aircraft in the world, used mainly by the Marines and Navy. Commonly called the "Skyhawk."

AD

The AD was a propeller driven aircraft that made it's appearnce at the end of WWII. It was more commonly referred to as the "Skyraider." It was used mainly by the Marines and Navy.

ARVN

Army of the Republic of Viet-Nam

Avionics

Aviation Electronics - The field I worked in while in the Marines.

BLT

A Battalion Landing Team, is a battalion of Marines on board a ship to be available for any trouble spot that may occur around the world.

Boondocks

When you are out in the field in the middle of nowhere, you are in the "boondocks."

Boondockers

Boots. More specifically, the ankle high boots, that used to be issued to Marines.

Boot

Nope, not feet apparel. An indiviual in boot camp, or a Marine with less time in the Corps then you. Opposite of an old "salt."

Bulkhead

Wall.

Bunker

The "bunkers" I refer to, are defensive structures we built (normally out of sandbags and steel matting), to offer protection during rocket and mortar attacks.

C-130

A four engine turbojet, propeller driven cargo aircraft. In the case of a KC-130...an in-flight refueler. The Marine Corps main work horse, in fixed wing aircraft.

Casings

These are the empty brass (Usually) shells extracted from a weapon, after it's been fired. (As used in JOHN 3:16.)

Cover

A hat.

Chopper

A helicopter.

Debark

To exit, or to leave. e.g. to debark a plane or a ship.

Deck

Floor.

D.I.

I'm sweating blood, just thinking about him. LOL This is the gentleman who transforms snot-nosed kids, just off the street, into the most elite fighting men in the world...U.S. Marines!! (Excuse my prejudice, and terminology!) He is the USMC Drill Instructor. GySgt.Osgood..... where ever you may be, I salute you and thank you. Every Marine alive today owes a debt of gratitude to these gentlemen.

DMZ

The DeMilitarized Zone. This was an area set up between North and South Viet-Nam as a buffer zone. Supposedly, no military operations were supposed to occur in that zone.

Drop Tank

Drop tanks are the tanks you see under the wings, or along the belly of fixed wing aircraft, to carry extra fuel. If they get involved in combat, they can drop these tanks to lighten their load and make them more maneuverable. Hence the name "drop tanks.'

Embark

Opposite of "debark."

Extraction

This was when the helicopters went in to remove the infantry from the field. If the infantry was in a soup sandwich, it was called an "emergency extraction."

F4

A jet fighter aircraft also known as the "Phantom."

Field scarf

A necktie.

Fire Team

The smallest unit in the Marine Corps infantry organiztion, consisting of four Marines. After that, the magic number is three. Three fire teams make up a squad, three squads a platoon, three platoons a company, three companies a battalion, three battalions a regiment, three regiments a division, three divisions a corps, and beyond that you get into armies. That was my feeble attempt to explain Marine Corps infantry organization. Bear in mind there are understrength units and re-inforced units. For instance a unit may have a sniper unit, mortar unit, machine-gun unit, tanks, artillery, etc. assigned. The organizations I described are the basic ones, and if I'm in error, one of you grunts can feel free to correct me. I'm trying to remember 40 years ago. :-)) By the way, when you ask a Marine what outfit he was with, he is liable to say 1/3, which would be short for 1st battalion, 3rd regiment, if my memory serves me correctly.

Fuel Dump

This is where fuel is stored by the military for use in their vehicles. In this case...aircraft.

Galley

A kitchen.

Gunny

Short for gunnery sargeant. (GySgt.) An enlisted rank in the Marine Corps.

Gung Ho

A Chinese term meaning "work together." A common term used throughout the Corps, having been used by the Marine Raiders of WWII fame.

H&MS

Headquarters & Maintenance Squadron - I've been told they no longer exist. They were the Marines who repaired the components of the aircraft. Each MAG had a H&MS. e.g. MAG-16 had H&MS-16. H&MS also took care of the majority of the administration work of the MAG. It functioned like this, a Marine from an operational squadron (HMM-162) would pull a radio from a UH-34, and send it to H&MS for repair. H&MS would then issue a repaired radio to replace the bad one.

Hatch

Door.

HML

Helicopter Marine Light - usually followed by three numerals (e.g. HML-367.) Designates a Marine helicopter squadron with light lifting capabilities, such as a 'Huey' (UH-1E).

HMM

Helicopter Marine Medium - usually followed by three numerals (e.g. HMM-162.) Designates a Marine helicopter squadron with medium weight lifting capabilities, such as a UH-34 or UH-46.

HMH

Helicopter Marine Heavy - usually followed by three numerals (e.g. HMH-361.) Designates a Marine helicopter squadron with heavy weight lifting capabilities, such as a CH-53.

Hootch

The buildings (if you wanted to call them that) we lived in. Marines also referred to alcoholic drinks as "hootch."

Honey Bucket

This term was used to describe the buckets that Vietnamese people balanced on long poles on their shoulders that was used to carry fertilizer to their fields or gardens. There was usually a bucket on each end of the pole. In many cases it was human feces, which is the reason when you mention honey bucket to a Nam vet, his face will go through contortions, before breaking out laughing.

Hot Zone

If we were to land in an area that was taking fire (mortar, rocket, small arms fire), it was considered a "hot zone."

In-Country

This was a term used to describe that you were physically in Viet-Nam.

Insertion

Opposite of extraction.

Irish pennant.

Thread hanging from uniform.

KIA

Killed In Action.

Ladder

Stairs.

Leatherneck

A term used to describe U.S.Marines. It was derived from the leather collars, worn on the jackets of Marines back in colonial days. Marines served as part of ship's companies, and the leather collar protected their necks from sword slashes during combat. sheez...I hope I'm right. :-)

MAG

Marine Air Group - usually followed by two numerals (e.g. MAG-16.) A MAG normally consists of three operational squadrons plus support elements.

MAW

Marine Air Wing - usually consists of three MAG's, plus support elements. At present there is the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th MAW's. The 4th MAW consisting of reserve outfits.

MEDEVAC

MEDical EVACuation. When a Marine was wounded or killed in action, a Medevac helicopter was called to evacuate them.

Mess

Meal. Self-explanatory. :-))

Mess hall

Where you ate your meals, when on base. In all truthfulness, most Marine mess halls served pretty good chow (food).

MOS

Military Occupational Specialty. A four numeral code that identifies your job. All infantrymen (Grunts: written with the highest respect) carried an 0300 MOS and all Marines are basic infantrymen. I was avionics with a 6212 designation. 6200 being avionics and the 12 designating a specialty within the field.

NCO

A Non-Comissioned Officer. Enlisted ranks. A Corporal or a Sargeant.

NCOIC

Non-Comissioned Officer In Charge. An NCO, or SNCO, in charge of a unit, section, shop or whatever.

Overhead

Ceiling

Pogey Bait

Candy, sodas, etc.

Port

Left side.

Portal

Window.

R&R

Rest & Relaxation. After so much time in-country, a Marine was granted time off (usually about a week) to travel to a point outside the combat areas. Flights were provided to Australia, Hawaii, Japan, the Phillipines, etc., etc. There was also in-country R&R, where you'd go to China Beach for instance, for a couple of days.

Recon Team

A team of Marines formed to perform reconnaissance missions. They are an elite part of the Marines.

R.I.O.

Radar Intercept Officer. The officer who sits behind the pilot and operates the radar of the aircraft. "Goose" of the movie "Top Gun" was an R.I.O.

Salt

No, not a table condiment. It's kind of a relative term, used to describe a Marine with more time in the Corps then you. Thus I'm an old salt compared to Marines who entered the Corps, after Viet-Nam, BUT I'm a "boot" to those who entered prior to Viet-Nam. Even used to describe utility uniforms. A salty jacket or trousers, meant they were faded to indicate time and wear. I believe it comes from the old practice of Marines putting their dirty clothes in a net bag and throwing them over the side of a ship, to be washed in salt water. This caused a bleaching action which produced salty utilities, and the wearer would be an old salt. OK, so shave my head and send me to Viet-nam if I'm wrong. :-))

Scivvy

A scivvy shirt is a T-shirt, scivvy drawers are underpants.

Scuttlebutt

A water fountain is a "scuttlebutt." Also refers to gossip in the Marine Corps and Navy.

Sea Story

The Marine's version of a fairy tale. During inactive times, this is the way Marines amused themselves. Sitting around swapping stories about previous duty stations, past conquests, etc. Once in awhile, there might have been a hint of the truth.

Semper Fi

Short for Semper Fidelis. The Marine Corps motto. This is the most common salutation among Marines. It means "always faithful," in Latin, if my D.I. didn't lie to me. LOL

Shrapnel

Debris from an explosion. A hand grenade exploding, released metal shrapnel in all directions.

SNCO

Staff NCO's. Senior enlisted ranks.

Starboard

Right side.

Strike Mission

This was a term used to designate a mission where the squadron would pick up the infantry and place them where the enemy was thought to be. It was a term used more often in 1963.

T.A.D.

Temporary Additional Duty. Self eplanatory.

Tech Rep

These were civilian technical representatives of the helicopter manufacturers. e.g. Bell, Sikorsky, etc.

TET

Vietnamese New Year. The North Vietnamese and the Viet-Cong, mounted a major offensive over TET in 1968. They were thoroughly defeated on all fronts, but the media played it up as a major catastrophe for the U.S. and it became the beginning of the end of our involvement in the Vietnamese war. Don't even get me started.

The World

This term was used to describe the U.S.A. When we had orders sending us back to the States, we were going back to "the world."

TOP

A term used to address the top two enlisted ranks in the Marine Corps.

Touch Down

This term when used around aircraft refers to the aircrafts wheels touching the ground when landing.

U.S.O.

United Service Organizations. This is a group that brings shows and performers to servicemen throughout the world. It might just be a hand shaking tour, or a real show. The Bob Hope Christmas shows are a good example.

VMO

Heavier then air Marine observation squadron (e.g. VMO-6.) A squadron of aircraft used for observation (reconnaissance), such as the OV-10.

WIA

Wounded In Action

:-)

Smiley face.

:-(

Frown.

LOL

Laughing Out Loud

ROFL

Rolling On Floor Laughing